Nthandanyati and Lake Panic would offer close up views .
Shipandane was a bit quiet on 4 occasions when I was in the area .

_________________KNP is sacred.I am opposed to the modernisation of Kruger and from the depths of my soul long for the Kruger of yesteryear! 1000+km on foot in KNP incl 56 wild trails.200+ nights in the wildernessndloti-indigenous name for serval.

Lake Panic is the best but realistically speaking not from Satara. By the time you get there the sun would already be your enemy. Although I've taken great pics at all times of the day at Lake Panic.

As DQ said your best bet would be Sweni. Just love this hide. Have had some awesome sightings here in the past. Ratelpan not always that productive, don't think its location is the best if I remember correctly.

Anything else you'll have the same problem as with Lake Panic. Only difference is that with most of them it won't be worth it. If you really want to drive some distance and try out something other than Sweni or Ratelpan give Lake Panic a go.

_________________Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.Albert Einstein

Sweni is indeed a very nice hide, and because of the silence, peace and the fact that it isnt overcrowded as Lake Panic sometimes can be...makes it my favorite hide. Sightings vary here, sometimes alot of birds , sometimes not..... Hippo and crocodile sightings are however guaranteed. The bonus of this hide is that it is close to N'wanetsi aswell, so you can use it as a quick pit stop if you want to . This hide has produced a lot of storks to me, as well as elephant, bushbuck, baboons (often) kudu's hippo's and crocs...

I think Ratelpan is the worst hide of whole kruger, far off, almost always dry....bushy etc....

I just don't get ratelpan, its as if they decided to build a hide in the middle of nowhere .
Why on earth they did not make it closer to the dam (Ie further along the road towards Olifants) I can not fathom.

Got nesting White Backed Night Herons nesting on two recent trips to Shipandane...that Mopani area cooks and is Krugers best kept secret

Your "recent" might be a bit long ago Peter. We did go to Shipandane in September 2007 and again now in January and there are no Night-Herons around. Also no other reports of any sightings in the last couple of months from there.

_________________Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.Albert Einstein

The best "hide" in the Satara area for taking photos of birds is in my opinion staying in the camp itself. There is a large variety of birds in the camp and with a little patience, stealth and just sitting quietly in one spot will result in much more opportunities than driving around to a hide missing the best light.

Below are just some of the birds I have photographed in Satara rest camp. Much more than you can ever expect to get at any of the hides mentioned and I've said it before, the Kruger hides does not work well for photography especially for birds. Even Lake Panic disappoints when the water level is very high

I just don't get ratelpan, its as if they decided to build a hide in the middle of nowhere .Why on earth they did not make it closer to the dam (Ie further along the road towards Olifants) I can not fathom.

Either the water levels were much higher in those days/ the dam wastn built or just poor judgement.
Been there only during winter but no water nearby.

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